Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The gift guide is a companion to an article "Made in MN: The Value of Buying Local this Holiday Season"

Along with online offerings, many of us sell in brick and motor locations, at craft fairs, and home shows. Thus we offer a variety of ways for Minnesotans to buy local. So whether you prefer to pick up and touch a product before purchase or if you prefer to shop from your home, the members of Etsy MN make buying local easy.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Way up north, there is much going on in the world of hand made. Kerri, Emotional Oasis, is one of the Gallery North artists and next door at Grandma's Attic: Antiques, Collectables, Gift Mall, Jane, Glorious Hats, is one of the vendors. You will often find both Kerri and Jane at the Gallery North Art Center enjoying the music on the Forest Stage. They are always happy to take you on personalized tours of Gallery North and Grandma's Attic and to show you their work up close and personal, too.

Now here is the official information on all of the events to be found this Friday, December 7, 2007 in Bemidji, MN. If you are in the Bemidji area, drop on by.

Gallery North Art Center Open House , Join in on the fun as Mary Knox-Johnson demonstrates one of her interesting paper art projects and artist Terri Honstead shares painting techniques. The Minnesota Forest Stage will feature guitarist and singer Bob Bildon playing great old time songs and for the first time on the Minnesota Forest Stage, Chrissy Allen and Friends. The Christmas Boutique continues with great gift ideas now through December. The Open House is from 2-5:30PM. Enjoy art, music, demonstrations and refreshments to get you in the holiday mood. 502 Third St. NW. Across from the Bemidji Woolen Mills. For more information 218-444-9813.

Bemidji Community Art CenterYou are invited to the BCAC First Friday Art Walk Opening Reception on Dec 7th from 5 to 7pm featuring an Artist Lecture at 6pm by Natalia Himirska. Main Gallery: “Still Life – Running Life” by Natalia Himirska dedicated to Pacita (this exhibit is made possible in part by a Region 2 Arts Council Individual Artist Grant. Gallery X2 “Variations” by students of Natalia Himirska and Gallery X3 “Drawn to Water” pastel, painting and mixed media work by JoAnn Hovet. The BCAC is free and open to the public. For more information on the BCAC visit us at our new Web Site at www.bcac.wordpress.com. Gallery hours are Tues. through Fri. 12 to 5 pm., Sat. 12 to 4pm. Visit us at 426 Bemidji Ave N (Carnegie Library on 5th St) or call us at (218)444-7570bcac@paulbunyan.net

Public Library for December. Bemidji Public Library and Gallery North Art Center presents artist Pam Robinson. Pam continues exhibiting her delightful mixed media art work through the month December. For more information call 219-368-3032.

Great River Gallery Open until 6pm on Dec 7th. The Great River Gallery has set up shop for the Holidays now through Dec 18th at the Headwaters School of Music and the Arts, 519 Minnesota Ave. Great gift ideas featuring jewelry, glass, ceramics, cards and more...just in time for the Holidays! Hours are Mon to Fri – 11am to 5pm and Sat - 11 to 2pm.

Dunn Bros Coffee November / December Exhibit. Dunn Bros Coffee would like to invite you an Artist Reception for their featured artist Pam Nelson on December 7th from 4 to 6pm. Pam’s show entitled "Through the Seasons" exhibits original watercolors and Geclee's of original watercolors. “Living in Northern Minnesota, I feel definite rhythms of the seasons, which inspire my work. There are a variety of subjects and my objective is to treat them each in an empathetic way.” Also available for purchase at Dunn Bros Coffee is Levandowski Pottery by Aron and Jena Levandowski. Stoneware and Raku pottery made with nontoxic clay and lead free glazes. “Pottery designed with you in mind.”Visit us at 501 Paul Bunyan Drive S. or Call (218) 444-5252dunnbros106@dunnbros.com

Beltrami County History Center Open House, 10AM to 4PM – The Beltrami County Historical Society, in conjunction with Gallery North, presents "Winter Scenes" an artwork exhibition on display now through January 31st at the Beltrami County History Center, 130 Minnesota Ave SW. For more information please contact Wanda Hoyum at 444-3376 or at www.beltramihistory.org

Neilson Place First Friday Opening Reception 5:30 - 7pm The North Country Health Services Art Committee is pleased to host a new art exhibit featuring work by Marlon Davidson and Don Knutson. The public is invited to join us at the opening reception on Friday, Dec. 7th from 5:30- 7:00 p.m. at Neilson Place in Bemidji. A brief presentation will be given at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy the exhibit, refreshments and conversation with the artists.Having worked for together for decades, Davidson and Knudson’s collaborations have evolved and become a way for the two artists to “express their deep appreciation for nature, for wilderness, for northern forests and an intense interest in the progress of modern art.” Their work will be displayed through the Holidays for the pleasure of residents, staff, families and the community at large. Their work is for sale, and a price list will be available at the reception desk. Neilson Place is located at 1000 Anne St. NW, Bemidj. Any questions, email lpapkelarson@nchs.com

Saturday December 8th

Mask & Rose Women's Theater Collective invites you to a concert on Saturday Dec. 8th featuring the Nothin' Flatt Band led by Hank Reitan ( they play each summer at the Wood Tic Theater ) and comedian Ms. Lena from Up North “doncha know”. Located in the Masonic Temple at 501 Bemidji Ave Tickets are $10 at the door and the concert is from 7-9 :00 PM . For more information contact Catie Belleveau at kayakc2@mac.com.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Wax treeI started working on a new series of paintings using collage and wax on wood panel. I got two in the series complete. I really like the way the wax becomes opaque or transparent depending on how much heat is applied.

I ended up starting my work bench on fire with the hotplate I was using to melt the wax with. The two in this series thus far probably will be the only ones for a while.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

If you are itching do do some christmas shopping, come on over to the Excelsior and Grand Craft Show in St. Louis Park this weekend! There will be quite a few vendors (many of us from the etsy street team!) AND it is a free event to the public! So if anything, just pop on over and chat with us! Nothing is better than supporting your local artists!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Street Team challenge for October is to create something that falls within the parameters of Halloween/Spooky/Creepy. Entries for the challenge can been seen on Etsy when you search for OctMN07. All entries are due on September 30th, so check back often to see the new additions.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Jenna Halek started selling her goods in February of 2006 after coming across Etsy.com. She was impressed with the look and function of Etsy which opened the doors to selling online. Artistic Edition, Jenna’s shop name, comes from a combination of being artistic and ongoing trial.

“ARTISTIC comes from me feeling/being artsy. EDITION comes from the process for coming up with one of my idea. A lot of the time it takes me a lot of “editions” until I get the perfect end result.”

Jenna’s favorite material is obviously Swarovski Crystals. She makes unique hair snaps at a quality and price that is just unbeatable.

When Jenna’s not busy creating you can find her at her day job as a Graphic Designer/Advertising Director for a Quilting Wholesale Distributor. Not to mention coordinating meet ups for our lovely little Minnesota Street Team.

You can find Jenna’s hair snaps and other goodies at her Etsy shop and you can join her on myspace to be friends.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Stacie Branson started selling You Go Girl! (soaps and more) products at the Midtown Global Market in South Minneapolis. Since then she has sold at craft shows, her website and most recently, Etsy.com. The whole thing started up when her daughter learned how to make lip balm at a camp and wanted to start selling them... Stacie wanted to help form a company for her and did a lot of research. In the process of researching she came across soap making and fell in love with it. So they opened You Go Girl!.

You Go Girl!’s products are unique because of the wide variety of scents they carry and specialized look. Packaging is half of making an outstanding product...You Go Girl! does an exceptional job and often receives compliments on theirs.

Stacie’s favorite creation is her Sugar Scrubs. She claims to be not the greatest cook, but loves mixing up scrubs and lotions. She enjoys seeing the response of people who try them. They notice the difference right away and it makes Stacie proud of her work!

When she doesn’t have her hands full of Sugar Scrubs you can find Stacie working on her web site and spending time with her family. She enjoys being a Minnesotan and taking advantage of long soothing walks around Lake Harriet.

Be sure to visit Stacie’s shop on etsy for great soaps, scrubs, balms and more... and be her friend on myspace.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Kristin Larson started selling her jewelry after she became addicted to making it. A co-worker taught her how to make earrings, and she was immediately hooked. Her husband was always been interested in doing a small business, and it seemed like a good way to learn some of the ropes.

Kristin believes that what makes a persons crafts uniques is simply the personality that goes into them. Her work is inspired by many aspects of her personality – her love of music, literature, nature, and scripture. Her primary inspiration is nature surrounding the Lake Superior region, where she grew up and stills feel a profound connection to. Kristin’s business name Upon The Waters Jewelry even comes from her true love for Minnesota and it’s lakes.

As a teacher by day, Kristin enjoys coming home to craft because it gives her the chance to see the fruits of her labor. She finds so much satisfaction in finishing a beautiful piece of jewelry.... it’s also the perfect way to relieve stress after a long day of teaching 6th through 8th graders and jokes that “beads don’t talk back”.

You can purchase your own special piece of jewelry from Kristin in her etsy shop. Also don't forget to stop by her blog to say hi :D

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Growing up Julia was always an artistic and creative person. Throughout school she focused mostly on fine arts, but never felt that it was quite her cup of tea. She wanted to be able to use that creativity to make something more practical. Crafts has become her outlet... allowing her to continue being creative without being so technical.

The doors to crafting opened wide up for Julia Davidson when her boyfriend gave her a sewing machine (her proclaimed favorite tool) for her birthday. After spending about six months learning how to use it and perfecting her skills she discovered Etsy in a Readymade Magazine. From there she started selling cards that she appliquéd fabric onto in her etsy shop minecreations.

While Julia is somewhat of a newcomer to Minnesota, she is already feeling at home in Minneapolis where she enjoys the great community vibe and down to earth folks.

Be sure to help support local artists like Julia! You can see more of Julia’s work at her etsy shop or see her goodies in person at I Like You and Crafty Planet (both in Minneapolis). And don’t forget to stop in and say hi at her blog!!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Amanda has been artistically inclined all her life. She opened her Etsy shop Silver Dragon Rescue in March 2007 to help support her cause Silver Dragon Rescue, which is a no-kill animal rescue center she runs out of her own house. 100% of every purchase from her shop (except her mother-in-law's stuff) goes towards her animal rescue center. You can find out more about Silver Dragon Rescue here.

Amanda grew up in Brainerd, Minnesota and still resides there with her husband, three children and her rescued animals. She has strong family ties in Brainerd, and to have the ability to up and visit grandma and grandpa just about any day is really a blessing. Her husband’s parents also live in Brainerd, so their kids really get a great deal of family time and support. She loves Minnesota in the spring, summer and fall, but when it comes to winter she would rather hibernate. :)

When she’s not crafting she’s a full-time mom to three small children (all under the age of 6). She enjoys playing with her kids and showing them how to make art of their own. You will find some of their creations here: Baby Onsies & ACEO Cards. She believes every experience can be a learning experience. Every question is answered and if she doesn’t have the answer, they look it up together. She truly loves being a mom. As stated before she runs a no-kill rescue from her home, so there are always things to do.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Lisa has been dreaming about starting Lil Fish Studios for 15 years and officially brought that dream to life in September 2006. She would ultimately like to continue to create, but would also like to create a venue in which she can represent the work of others as well as host classes with guest teachers and speakers.

Lisa has been an Etsy member since last March and made the move from Chicago to Brainerd last October. She now lives on 10 wooded acres with lots of room to run and raise chickens, and hang out the wash. She says it’s a different sort of life compared to Chicago; quieter and beautiful.

Lisa has yet to meet a power tool she didn’t like and a material she couldn’t physically manipulate. Her motivation for crafting is pretty simple. She HAS to. It’s her release that needs to come out and it does in her wonderful creations. She finds inspiration in the color, textures, and patterns it provides her and she’s moved to use as many recycled or re-purposed materials as possible in her craft work. Birds nests, ladybugs, leaves, and natural tones are all common in her work.

When Lisa isn’t working on her creations she’s chasing her boys, digging around for rocks, or taking her turkeys for walks in the woods! You may also find her cooking up some deep dish, looking at Etsy or blogging on her blog Lil Fish Studios News.

Friday, June 8, 2007

MirandaRanda is the lovely Miranda Andrews from Southern Minnesota. Miranda has a background in child development and it shines through in her work. Many of her items are activities for you to share with your kids. Puppets, collage kits, and fun soaps are some of the items she offers. Her soaps have fun surprises in them like rings and frogs to help children enjoy bath time. Don’t forget to get something for yourself too as she also offers some cool natural glycerin soaps for the kid at heart .

The first piece Miranda actually sold was a fiber arts sample to an art teacher in eighth grade. She was so excited that she would have given it away for free... but the lesson of placing a value on art was invaluable. Today Miranda sells mostly as a hobby, but would love if she could someday make a living from her craft.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Pam Loudy started her craft career like many of us by selling handmade items to her co-workers.She expanded her business by selling through consignment shops and selling via Etsy.

Pam has been a fixture on Etsy since 2005 selling her one-of-a kind pendants and belt buckles.Pam has a unique eye for fusing glass.She comes up with fresh ideas and stays one step ahead of her competitors.

For a look at some of the beautiful items Pam has in her Etsy shop, check outLoved in Red, Brown SwirlandFishy Fishywhich are pictured items above (and 2 of which are already sold).

When she is not working on her craft business you will find her enjoying Minnesota outdoor activities such as canoeing, golfing and volleyball.She also enjoys walking her dogs at MinnehahaFallsPark while eating ice cream and walking with her husband.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Like many artists Shelley Ann "fell" into her craft. When she was given the opportunity to show off her goods in a local store she jumped at the chance.

Shelley Ann's Etsy shop is full of FIBERS! You will find radiant wall quilts, quilted post cards, barrettes, and coffee cuffs. Check out Shelley's fused glass night lights for a grown up way to chase away the dark. Almost every item is a one of a kind piece so you don't have to share your incredible find with anyone else.

Using a self discovered technique Shelley's wall quilts are something to behold. They are comprised of thousands of individual pieces of hand dyed fabric that have been fused down and then stitched down with decorative thread. Shelley also used crystals and fabric paint to add movement and a sparkle to these elaborate works of art.

Be sure to stop by Shelley Ann's Etsy shop to get a closer look at her works and visit her blog to read more about this fabulous fiber artist we are proud to call a Minnesotan!!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Brian Western of Western Art Glass has been cutting glass and applying band-aids since 1978, and has been a part of etsy since January 2007 selling his gorgeous glass. It all started with the help of his older brother and mentor. Now his stained-glass sun catchers light up windows and add a fun, glowing organic feel to your home.

The most astonishing part is that Brian works without any of the modern luxuries available to glass artists these days. Everything is done by hand with a Fletcher 07 glass cutter and a couple of grozing pliers. His materials of choice? Glass, lead, copper foil, copper tubing, solder, wires, and duck eggs.

This Minnesota man... a self-proclaimed “non-reformed Hobbit” loves being able to slink around in the background.... but his eye-catching work calls for attention.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Here's the deal...I work, I have kids, I am married, I have friends, I have a dog and a few relatives I still speak to. I paint, make jewelry, do cut paper collage and some photography. There is myspace, facebook, flickr, etsy, ebay, google blogs, typepad, sxc (photo sharing site, really cool), art fairs, and promotional materials...and I do all of it sort of half a**ed (in case there's kids in the room!) The fam wants me to make dinner, the teachers want me to hover over the kids while they do their mind-numbingly boring homework (middle school and high school), I'm supposed to exercise, pay bills, do laundry and I really, really need a hair cut.

So, what am I doing? I just printed some pictures, filled out all the forms and ran an application for the Eagan Art Festival to my mailbox before my crabby mail lady came. The app was supposed to be in on the 16th, but the festival lady said I could apply if I got it in TODAY!!! I was supposed to also have a photo of my exhibit booth, which I don't own...maybe they won't notice. Oh, and I had to pay an extra 30 bucks too, which seems a bit punitive.

How do you art divas do all this stuff? If you're doing something, there's like 50 other things you're not doing! If I don't make stuff I'll go crazy, but I really want to sell it so people quit asking me where I sell my art. (Why does selling it make it valid, anyway?)

Did I mention I write poetry and am in the middle of writing a book on the Song of Solomon?

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Big things are on the horizon for MN etsy artists and it's an exciting time to be a part of the street team!If you would like more information about MN Etsy Street Team please convo our fearless leader Jenna through her shop at Artistic Edition.